Truncus vagosympathicus

The truncus vagosympathicus is a nerve of the vegetative nervous system in many mammals. It is a connection of the vagus nerve with the sympathetic cord of the neck between the cervical ganglion and the cervical cranial ganglion. Occasionally, in some individuals, both parts are also separated at the neck, as is the case in humans.

Both parts, if united, have a common epineural envelope, but there is no functional connection between the two. The main direction of the information flow is the vagal component from the head to the chest, and the sympathetic part is reversed. Damage to the truncus vagosympathicus leads to a loss of the sympathetic in the head region (Horner's syndrome, vasodilatation, anhidrosis) and the parasympathetic innervation in the chest and abdomen, as well as the laryngeal whistle.

The truncus vagosympathicus runs in a common fascia sheath with the common carotid artery, both conduction paths being firmly connected. They lie dorsally (above) of the trachea and esophagus. Edit source text

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